Update on Tibet Demonstrations, 31 July 2008

June 2008: Lhasa – Some arrested protestors from Lhundup county given sentences

Some of the people, who were arrested for participating in protests on 15-16 March at Phenpo Lhundup (Ch: Lingzhi) county, were given arbitrary sentences by the concerned court of Lhasa City in mid June.

Tenzin Lhamo, a girl from Ugyen Mey village in Gaden Choekhor township, Lhundrup county, was given arbitrary sentence to 10 years of imprisonment for merely participating in a peaceful protest in Lhundrup county on 16 March. Samdup, a man from the same locality, was also sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Similarly, three others, including Kalden from Dhey village in Jangkha township, Lhundrup county, were sentenced to 20, 17 and 12 years in prison. Their details are not available.

No Specific Date

Lhundrup (Ch: Lingzhi) County, Lhasa Municipality, “TAR” – Whereabouts of two more arrestees are unknown

Lobsang Dawa, a man from Chushul (Ch: Chushui) county in Lhasa Municipality who has settled in Lhundrup county at his wife’s home, was arrested in March on charge of participating in a 14 March protest in Lhasa. His younger brother Tendar, a monk from Ratoe monastery, was also arrested by Lhasa City Public Security Bureau (PSB). Their whereabouts are unknown now. Some believe Tendar has died.

Around 53 nuns from Shar Bhumpa nunnery in Lhundrup county were arrested and detained after participating in protests staged in Lhundrup county this March. Recently, the concerned county authorities have released many of them after fining between 2000 to 5000 Yuans.

The released nuns were not allowed to rejoin the nunnery, and they were sent to their respective homes.

Around 5 arrested nuns were shifted to Lhasa and still being detained. Another nun, Lobsang Choezin, was admitted to the county hospital from prison after suffering severe beating during her arrest.